Fat is an important part of the diet of all individuals. It serves as a source of energy and essential fatty acids, and also as a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins. In addition, due to its unique functional properties, fat is often used to improve the overall quality of foods including color, texture, structure, flavor, mouthfeel and other characteristics.
However, both the total desirable amount of fat and types of fat in the diets of individuals have been a subject of controversy. A number of investigations revealed a correlation between high consumption of fats and increased rates of atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease and obesity. As a result, several organizations, including the American Heart Association, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health, have recommended the reduction of total fat intake in general and of saturated fat in particular.
The nutritional and biological effects of fatty acids are diverse. As long as 30 years ago, it was observed that diets composed predominantly of saturated fatty acids increased plasma lipids, whereas diets containing polyunsaturated fats decreased plasma lipids. More recent findings indicate that even monounsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, can be hypolipidemic. F. H. Mattson and S. M. Grundy, J. Lipid Res., 26:194 (1985). It is now well accepted that not only the total amount of fat, but also the composition of dietary fat which is consumed affects the incidence of coronary arterial disease.
The relative proportion of saturated to unsaturated fats consumed in the U.S. has changed significantly. The consumption of fats derived from vegetable oils that are rich in unsaturated fatty acids has more than doubled in the last 50 years. R. L. Rizek, et al., In Dietary Fats and Health, E. G. Health and W. J. Vesek, (eds.) American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign, Ill., p. 17 (1983). However, in a number of food products, the complete substitution of saturated fats with unsaturated fats is often problematic. The functional properties of fats in different foods are determined by a number of parameters, including the balance between solid and liquid phases and the structure of the fat crystal.
Fats can crystallize into different crystal forms. The consistency, plasticity, graininess, and other physical properties of many products such as butter, lard, margarine, shortenings, and cocoa butter, all depend on a particular polymorphic form of the triglyceride present. As a result, only a certain part of solid saturated fat can be substituted with liquid unsaturated oils without sacrificing the sensory quality of the product.
An alternative material that can mimic the physical and structural properties of saturated fats without having unfavorable nutritional qualities would be valuable for reducing the amount of saturated fat in a food product without sacrificing the sensory quality of the food product.